


The Second Chance

by simplekindoflife



Category: The Voice (US) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-16 16:03:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8108686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplekindoflife/pseuds/simplekindoflife
Summary: AU: After mutual heartbreak, Blake & Gwen meet in a club as they try to find themselves again. A sudden accident separates them with no way to contact the other. Years later, another chance accident brings them together again, but there is a secret that could tear them apart before they even get a chance to start over. Will they get their second chance?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Birthday present story for @shefaniislit on Twitter. Very different from anything I have ever done. Happy Birthday, love! ;)

*PROLOGUE *

The dance floor was packed with sweaty bodies as Gwen sat at the bar with her third long island iced tea in an hour in her hands. 

It had been a long time since she had let go, and she needed this night more than she ever thought possible. 

After a month of depression, and laying in her bed blaming herself for not being good enough for her now ex fiance, she dusted herself off, and set out to prove to herself she was desirable. 

She should have seen the signs. Texts coming at all hours, leaving with no notice, the increased agitation Gavin had shown in the months before... none of it sank in until she saw it with her own eyes. 

Coming home early from her job as a receptionist at a local doctor's office, she planned on trying to surprise Gavin with a home cooked meal, and beautiful lingerie for when he got home, but that isn't how it happened. In hindsight she supposed it was better this way...at least she hadn't wasted a lifetime with a deceptive asshole. 

When Gwen walked in the house she shared with Gavin, she knew right away something wasn't right. Clothes were strewn all throughout the foyer, leading to the couch where her now former fiance, and some whore she had never seen before were having such loud sex that they hadn't noticed her entrance. 

After the initial shock wore off, Gwen skipped devastation in that moment, and headed straight to pure rage. 

Calmly putting the grocery bag on the dining room table, she took her engagement ring off, sat it on the table, went to their bedroom, still unnoticed, grabbed the unused dildo her Sister had jokingly got her for an engagement present, and headed back out the door.

Gavin, who drove a BMW that he treated way better than he ever treated her was treated to a new hood ornament glued to the hood of his car with super glue... a smirk of satisfaction appeared on her face as she walked away from the person she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. 

She knew the tears would come after the adrenaline wore off. The self confidence problems, the self loathing... the moments of near weakness when she almost gave in to his apologies. 

The following month had been spent in bed, rarely eating, forcing herself to shower... she was so sick of feeling bad about herself. So sick of feeling unloveable. She needed a night to let go, a night to feel like a desired woman again. 

Gwen was jolted out of her inward thoughts by a deep, whiskey smooth voice, and a tentative hand on her bare shoulder. 

She looked over to see the most handsome man she had ever seen. Tall, wild curls, scruffy beard with the most intriguing deep blue eyes that felt like they pierced her soul with one glance. 

Both gasping at the intense eye contact, the man rubbed the back of his neck with his hand nervously. 

"I'm... I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean to startle you. I just sat down a few minutes ago, and you had a far away look that I'm familiar with in your eyes. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Gwen smiled slightly at the sincerity in his voice. 

"Yes...no... maybe? I'm not really sure. I'm getting there I think. First night out in a long time, I think I just need to drink my weight in alcohol, and let loose a lite... ya know?" 

With warm eyes, and oh my God those dimples he made her forget her own name for a second when he stuck his hand out for her to shake.

"I'm Blake."

After shaking her head a little to clear it, she blushed. 

"Gwen. Nice to meet you. What brings you here?" 

The smile slightly dropped off his face before he gained his composure again, and fiddled with his beer to keep his hands busy. 

"I uh... I came home early from a business trip to find my girlfriend in my bed with some guy. I just walked out, and flew to my Mom's house in Oklahoma to stay until she got her things from my house. I sold it, and got an apartment a block from here. I just wanted a fresh start. I got my stuffed moved in yesterday, and needed a night out."

Gwen bit her lip, and gave him a rueful smile. 

"So we are both celebrating new found Independence. I laid in bed for a month, but I'm here now. Pretty similar stories, I must say." 

Blake raised his beer in the air with a cheeky smile that made his eyes twinkle. 

"To honesty, freedom, and a night of fun, and copious amounts of alcohol."

Gwen smiled a full smile back, and giggled nervously. 

"Cheers."

 

Two hours, and a massive amount of alcohol later, Gwen's favorite song, a slow, smooth song Blake had never heard before played throughout the packed club. 

Slightly swaying to the music, Gwen smiled at her drinking partner for the night. 

Blake looked at her beautiful eyes, and jumped up holding his hand out in an exaggerated way making her giggle shyly. 

"May I have this dance?"

Reluctantly putting her hand in his, she slightly nodded her head, letting him lead her through the crush of bodies to an open area on the corner of the floor. 

Conservatively at first, they swayed gently to the smooth music, enjoying the slight contact, and the presence of the other. The feeling of being wanted by someone started to pulse through their veins making them lightheaded. 

Out of nowhere, a couple ran into Gwen's back knocking her forward into Blake's arms causing him to tighten his grip, and pull her closer so she didn't fall. 

While getting their bearings, they looked at each other startled by the feeling of rightness in this new, closer position. 

The alcohol taking away any awkwardness, Blake moved the hair that had fallen into her face back, still looking into her eyes, and met her halfway in a soul searing kiss that gave them both butterflies, and lit a fire that had a shocking intensity. 

Pulling back slightly, they both opened their heavily lidded eyes, and smiled before leaning back in to kiss again. Intense. Fiery.Perfect. 

An hour later, they stumbled into Blake's new apartment, groping, and kissing, Gwen with her legs wrapped around his waist, grinding steadily into his solid groin. This woman was going to kill him. It was so worth it. 

 

Using all of his self control, he slid her down until her feet touched the ground. Her stilettos somewhere between the door, and living room where they now stood, causing her to shrink about 4 inches, making his tall frame tower over here in a somehow comforting way. She was perfection, and she had no idea. 

 

"Tell me what you need," he said with a notable shakiness to his usually smooth tenor. 

He gathered her hands and put them to the top button of his shirt. Helping her slip the first button through the hole slowly, the look on his eyes soft, and comforting. He was giving her a bit of control to keep her comfortable. This man couldn't be real. 

"I…" Closing her eyes tightly, and taking a deep, audible breath, she put aside her insecurities and just let it out. "I want to be wanted," she shakily said. Clearing her throat, and takimg another deep breath, slowly gaining strength as she continued. "I want someone to want me more than their next breath. I want it to consume them, like they can't touch me enough, taste me enough, or feel me enough. I need that."

Giving up on the buttons with her skaky hands, she put one hand on each side of the shirt, and ripped it down the middle, buttons clinking all over the tiled floor. 

"I want you to do all that for me." Biting her lip, unbelieving that she had just said all that out loud. "Can you do that?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice notably huskier than before, and not nearly as smooth. "I can do that." 

Stepping back a bit, letting his ruined shirt flit to the ground after freeing his arm, he reached for her, hands going to the hem of her skimpy red dress. 

"You need to catch up." he murmured softly, slowly pulling her dress over her head. Stepping back again, his eyes roamed her gorgeous body.

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect."

 

Slowly stripping their remaining clothes, they softly kissed, and touched, the rushed lust of their entrance into his apartment replaced by an intense emotion that neither really wanted to define, fueled by their mutual insecurities, and need for mutual affection. 

After hours of slow, intense love making, they passed out in a heap of sweaty, sated limbs, clinging to each other even in sleep, an intense connection even felt during sleep. 

 

A piercing sound of a cell phone broke their peace at 4 am, causing them to both startle, and search for the source of the noise. 

In the floor beside her purse, she found her phone, answering at the last minute, a call from her Mom. 

In an instant, their beautiful night came crashing down as her face turned white, and she looked into his concerned eyes. 

"My Dad has been in an accident. I have to go. I need to fly out immediately. I'm so sorry, Blake. I have to go now. "

Nodding dumbly, he helped gather her things, in a complete fog, still not completely awake. 

He called her an uber, and they spent the last few minutes of their time together kissing softly, him trying to infuse courage, and strength into her, unthinking of anything but the present moment. 

After kissing her goodbye, he walked still in a fog into his apartment only to realize he didn't even have her phone number. 

She was leaving town, and they had no way to get a hold of each other. He was pretty sure he was in love with her if that is possible after less than 12 hours, and he didn't even have her last name. 

He slowly went into his bedroom, and laid on his bed, clutching the pillow her soft, vanilla scented hair had rested on, silently praying he could somehow find her again one day.


	2. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the feedback! Your comments, and feedback keep me writing, also the editing help from Sam! You keep me from getting stuck lol Love you! 
> 
>  
> 
> **Happy Actual Birthday to the brain child behind this little prompt, @shefaniislit - I hope you had a great day! xoxo**

"Everything okay, Gwen?" 

Gwen startled from her thoughts at the sound of her friend's voice. 

Smiling slightly, she shook her head unconvincingly. 

"Yeah, Pharrell... I was just lost in thought. Austin decided he hates daycare today, after saying yesterday it was his favorite place. I had to bribe him with an extra cookie for his lunch. I just have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. Probably just Mom guilt."

Pharrell gave her a full smile. 

"Gwen, you are the best Mom I have ever seen, and that kid is the most good natured, sweet kid I've ever met. Plus, I'm pretty jealous of those dimples, and that curly hair."

She just laughed, and stood up from the break room table, and patted her friend on the shoulder as she walked to the door to go back from her break. 

"Says a man who has never had to wrangle those curls in the morning."

Gwen heard the laugh of her friend as the door closed behind her. 

As she walked to the nurses station, she was collared by her co-worker/best friend Lizzie who had been watching her patients while she took a lunch break. 

"Girl, you got a new admit while you were gone, and I swear to God he is the hottest man I've ever seen in my life. I've been in there like 4 times just to look as his sexy self."

Gwen smirked at the dramatics of her friend. 

"Oh really... the hottest? Hotter than the guy at Starbucks this morning that you swore was the hottest, or your bad boy ex with the motorcycle? You're a riot, sweetie."

Lizzie looked seriously in her eyes, and shook her head. 

"Fine fine... see for yourself. His name is Blake Shelton. 34. Contractor with his own housing business. Pretty bad concussion, and slight brain bleed from a scaffolding accident. Conscious, but slight confusion. He is going for more neuro testing in the morning to check the state of the swelling."

Gwen felt that pang in her stomach again as Lizzie was speaking, but it was probably the name Blake. God... she tried so hard to find him, especially after her Dad was okay, and she found out she was pregnant. No last name, and no memory of his apartment... his new, unlisted apartment proved impossible. After 3 years, it felt like a lost cause. 

She shook the thoughts of him off, and she looked up, and smiled at Lizzie. 

"Thank you! I'll just go on in, and check his vitals now. Let me know if you need a break, and I'll watch your people."

Lizzie gave her a bitch, please look, and rolled her eyes. 

"Oh no no no. I'm introducing you so I can get another look at him. Don't take my fun away, I have 3 patients. 2 are in their 80's, and 1 is 450 pounds. I need this."

Gwen rolled her eyes back at her silly friend. 

"Fine! Come on, let's go. I've got work to do."

After knocking, she walked into the dim room, and it felt like butterflies were in her stomach. Shaking it off as eating too quickly, she looked up, and locked eyes with her patient. 

Before either could say a word, Lizzie started introductions. 

"Blake, your nurse is back from break. Her name is..."

Mid sentence Blake had grabbed the bedrail, hoisted himself up, and turned on the overhead light with his remote startling Lizzie.

"Gwen. Gwen. Oh my God."

Grabbing ahold of his head he laid back down, and started mumbling incoherently from behind his hand. 

Lizzie absolutely confused, and Gwen, absolutely in shock. 

Lizzie reached over, and moved his hand. 

"Mr.Shelton, it's okay. Are you in pain, what's going on?"

Blake's beautiful eyes opened, and looked straight into Gwen's still wide eyes. 

"I'm dying, aren't I? Am I dead? Is this heaven? No way Gwen is in hell. I finally find her, and it's in heaven. Where is the justice in that?"

Finally, Gwen snapped out of her shock, and sat on the side of the bed, shakily reaching out, and touching his beautiful, slightly bruised face. 

Blake raised his hand to cup hers as they both closed their eyes at the contact, before reopening their eyes, and looking straight at each other, still in disbelief. 

Their sweet moment was broken by Lizzie, who had been stunned into her own silence, (not an easy feat) and had started sputtering, causing both Gwen, and Blake to look over at her. 

Finally regaining full range of her thoughts, Lizzie pointed a finger at Gwen. 

"You have some major explaining to do, Gwen. What the heck is this? You're acting like this is your long lost love... Oh my God its your long lost love! Holy shit holy shit holy shit!"

Blake let out a small chuckle, before wincing, and laying back against the pillow again, causing Gwen to look over at him in corncern. Without taking her eyes off of Blake, she spoke to Lizzie in a quiet, pleading voice.

"Lizzie, can you bring me the med cart, and try to wrangle a vitals machine somewhere around here? We can talk later...I promise. We just need a minute in here."

Gwen leaned down, and gave him a kiss on his forehead after the door clicked shut.  
Utter disbelief, and gut clenching fear suddenly coursed through her veins as the weight of the moment settled on her like a ton of bricks. 

She stood up, and paced the floor a bit beside the bed, trying to figure out how to approach this situation she had been praying about for over 3 years. 

Blake, who had started to get nervous with Gwen's suddenly nervous behavior stopped her pacing by placing a hand on her arm. 

"Gwen? What's going on in that beautiful head of yours? You got nervous all of a sudden." 

Before she could answer, Lizzie was coming into the room after knocking, dragging the med cart, and vitals machine with her. 

"Gwen, sorry to bother you, but Austin is on the phone. What do you want me to do?"

Gwen's attention focused over to Lizzie as she was speaking, but saw Blake visibly stiffen in her peripheral vision. God... this isn't the way she imagined this at all. 

Letting out an audible breath, she gave Lizzie a slight smile that probably looked more like a grimace. 

"Thanks... just let me take care of Blake here for a little bit. Can you make sure there is no emergency with Austin for me, and if not I will call back in a few minutes." 

Lizzie gave Gwen a small smile, and exited the suddenly tense room quickly, closing the door completely. 

When Gwen turned her attention back to Blake, he had a stricken look on his face that likely had nothing to do with his head injury. Tears started welling up in her eyes. She dreamed of this moment, clung to it on her darkest days, and this was not how this was supposed to happen. 

Before she could say anything, Blake cleared his throat, and looked at his hands for a minute, before looking at her teary chocolate eyes. 

"So... I'm too late, aren't I? I missed my chance."

Gwen bit her lip,and sat down on the bed again, taking his hands into hers, looking into the ocean blue eyes that had haunted her dreams for 3 long years. 

"There is someone, but it's not what you think. We need to talk Blake."


	3. Chapter 3: PS this is Austin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best work, but I've been SO busy with rl. Sorry for the horrendous mistakes, I finally got more than 2 hours sleep, and did a bit of editing from my phone. Hopefully it is readable now. lol
> 
> To my Sam: praying for your situation. Love you!

Gwen stood still trying to keep from hyperventilating in Blake's hospital room. 

As a nurse this was the exact way to get fired from a job she loved. She is supposed to be a professional first, everything should come after that. 

Blake has been in an accident, and needs care before his World is flipped upside down. Do I wait? Am I making it worse by putting this off? Oh my God. I am so unprepared for this. 

Gwen was brought out of her thoughts by a clearing throat. She looked up to see a perplexed, and nervous Blake staring at her. 

"Uh Gwen. I've kind of been dreaming about this moment since the second you pulled away, and I'm getting a little nervous here. Care to put me out of my Misery?" 

Gwen smiled slightly at his handsome, slightly swollen face, and walked back to his bedside to side down, and held onto his warm, calloused hand.

"The sounds like a line from a cheesy love song." Making him smirk a little before rolling his eyes, causing pain to course through his head causing him to visibly wince. 

Gwen smiled sadly at him, and gave in to her urge to run her hand through his wild curls, closing her eyes as a flashback so strong it took her breath away took over her entire being. 

Blake leaned his head into her, unconsciously seeking out the contact of her soft hand, reveling in the touch he has missed for so long. 

"Blake, sweetie... you're in pain. Let's take care of that. Get some rest, I can check on my other patients, take care of a few things, and when you wake up we can talk. I promise we will talk, but this is going to be a stressful conversation, and I need to be off work. That won't happen for another 4 hours, okay? I can promise you I'm not leaving you, I am not seeing anyone, and I never stopped thinking of you, okay? There are some... things you need to know though. Is that okay? Can we talk in a few hours after you nap?"

Blake frowned slightly, pouting a bit as he realized he wasn't get anything out of her at the moment. Slightly mollified that she wasn't leaving him, and was currently single, he reluctantly nodded, and turned his head to kiss the soft skin of her hand that had slid down to his scruffy face while she was speaking. 

"Okay, I guess. I don't think I have the energy to argue. I feel like I'm scared to close my eyes, that this is all a dream, you know. I am so simultaneously happy, and pissed that I got hurt; happy because I found you, but pissed because I'm hurt so I can't hold you."

Gwen stroked under his swollen eye, and smiled at him full force, still unbelieving he was real, he was here, and he was hopefully hers. She leaned forward, and gave him a soft, sweet his to his lips, pulling back only slightly to look in his beautiful, blue eyes, breaths lingering while they basked in the moment followed by one more soft, shorter kiss, before she pulled away, standing up to walk to her med cart. 

"So... on a scale of one to ten, how bad is your pain right now?"

Blake looked at her, still in a bit of a fog before tilting his head to answer. 

"Huh? Pain!?"

Gwen rolled her eyes, and giggled slightly. 

"Your head, Romeo. Remember? Concussion, slight brain bleed? Hospital? You need a nap. We have a long evening ahead of us."

 

Blake physically shook the lusty thoughts of his dream woman from his head; not a great idea, causing him to grab his head, and moan a bit in pain. Still holding his head a bit, he looked into her sympathetic brown eyes, and grimaced, a bit embarrassed. 

"Oh yeah. My head. Um... 5? 6 if I shake my head like a moron."

Gwen winked at him, and scanned her computer. 

"I've got just what you need."

Blake looking up, feeling a little less embarrassed, and a little euphoric that Gwen was really there. 

"Yes. Yes you do."

Gwen giggled at him slightly, raising her eyebrow playfully. 

"I meant pharmaceutically speaking, honey."

 

Within 10 minutes, some pain medication, and another soft kiss, Blake was fast asleep, and Gwen was quickly making her rounds, even though she knew that Lizzie had been checking on them, and answering any call lights. 

Sitting at the nurses station, she took a deep breath, and massaged her temples to try to calm herself down... it was probably a bad time to give herself a stroke. 

In the next few hours, her life was either going to get either way better, or way more depressing. So much pressure she never expected when she woke up this morning to a toddler with his finger up her nose. 

Austin. She needed to call the day care back to check on her baby boy. He was growing up so fast, and the thought of him meeting his Father gave her a simutantious rush of nervousness, and excitement to her heart that took her breath away completely. 

 

After a call to the day care where Austin had come on the line, and reminded her he was due a treat this evening once his Gampy picked him up, and a dispute that she had to call security to break up two doors down from her still sleeping... whatever he was, she found herself texting back an annoyed Lizzie was dying for details she wasn't going to get until there were details to give while sitting quietly at Blake's bedside waiting for him to wake. 

 

Even though her Dad knew something was going on, he didn't ask questions when she asked if Austin could stay at his house because she wasn't going to be able to leave the hospital until late tonight. 

 

She was off tomorrow, so she buckled down to have this discussion tonight, even though she instinctively wanted to go hide under the covers of her bed. 

It's not like this was everyday conversation. "Hi! We had a one night stand, I had to leave, couldn't find you for 2 years, and you end up being my patient. Oh yeah, want to meet your child?" 

Just as she was about to psych herself out, the man in question started stirring.  
Beautiful, sleepy eyes made contact with hers, and he blinked a few times in rapid succession before sitting up carefully, and running his hand through his wild, curly hair. 

Clearing his throat, his words were slightly thick with sleep, but his voice was like a healing balm to her anxious soul. 

"This isn't a dream, right? Like this is real life, and you are really sitting here with me. You're still here. I'm not dying. I'm not in heaven... we are really together. Right now. In California. In a hospital room...?"

Gwen smiled at his handsome face, and moved her chair closer, so she could reach him, and held onto his hands after fixing his pillow, and bed so he could sit up more comfortably. 

"You're correct, handsome. Not in heaven, not dying, definitely in a California hospital. We are really together. You really have a pretty nasty head injury, but you seem pretty with it. You're lucky."

Smiling into his dimples, and squeezing her hands, she felt a pang of familiarity hit her square in the gut. That was so Austin. Those dimples, that smile. It brought her anxiety back full force causing her to lean forward, kissing his hands lightly before pulling away, and grabbing her cell phone out of her scrub jacket pocket hanging on her chair. She flipped it back, and forth in a nervous motion, looking down at her hands. 

 

"So. I told you there was something we needed to talk, about, and I don't even know how to do this, there's no manual for it. I'm totally unprepared, but I looked for you so hard, and never thought I would get to see you again. 

When my Dad got sick, I took care of him, and a few months later, I became ill. I was sick, and miserable, so I stayed longer with our family ,getting healed. My healing took several months... 9 to be excact. 

Our special Moment became the most defining Moment in my life. Our moment brought the most amazing thing created from us. I know this is literally the worst way to do this, but it's killing me knowing you don't know yet.I want you to know you can request to never see me again , I'd understand... but here it is.

Taking a deep breath,sitting on the side of the bed so they were able to look at her phone together, she went through her phone, looking for special pictures of Austin; 

 

"So...I'm a nurse now. Only have a few friends. Mostly spend time at home. I want to show you someone special to me and let me know what you think of him...." 

Gwen handed her phone to Blake with the picture of Austin on the screen. Flannel shirt, dimples,crazy hair.  
"This is ours. Meet Austin Blake." 

 

Blake's hand touched the screen gently, unbelieving what was happening. He closed his eyes, and asked for a quiet moment with Gwen. Just them, no possible distractions from the rest of the world in their tiny hospital room, afraid of his emotions . 

Blake moved to the other side of the bed, and held the blanket up for Gwen. Sliding into his bed, face to face, they held onto each other tightly, before facing each other. 

"So you have a child..."

Shaking her head, she smiled. 

"I do. WE do If you want to meet him. His name is Austin Blake. He is two, and looks like a mini version of you.I know this is a lot but, I wanted you here, you deserve it all. Don't try to process too much right now. I thought if you weren't too freaked out, I could show some pictures before I leave tonight. Maybe tell some stories." 

Blake smiled genuinely, and told Gwen he would like that, only if she would stay for the night, he wasn't ready to be away from her. 

After seeing his heart eyes at looking at a picture of Austin on a phone, she had a feeling there would be a lot of talking, and and plans to try to do this right. 

 

3 hours into the visit, they were snuggled on the bed going through every picture she had of Austin from her phone, or any social media. Likes, and dislikes, Blake was coming up with a plan to meet his child. He was so blessed. Keeping this little family would be his life's goal. Nothing else mattered. 

Right before bed, Gwen gave Blake a sweet kiss before rolling to a spoon position , while Blake leaned down slightly to whisper in her ear.  
"Will he like me? Hate me? Be afraid? I want this so bad,Baby . "

Gwen rolled over slightly, and kissed his worry away. "We will do this together. Always together now, Blake. Always. "


End file.
